Need to pick a domain name, but feeling totally overwhelmed by all the options? Here’s some things to consider, and what to do if the domain you want is taken:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✔️.com is the most popular and most intuitive option- by which I mean most people type it in by default. However, don’t pay an arm and a leg just to get your ideal bizname.com (no joke, domains that are considered valuable can be sold for millions of dollars)- there are other good options, which I’ll describe further on.
Also an important thing to consider- if the .com that you want is taken by a competitor, don't just use the exact same domain name ending in .co. This will actually work against you, as most likely anyone typing in your domain name will default to the .com, thus sending more traffic to your competition.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✔️ Shorter and easy to remember is better. If your biz name is known by a nickname or shortened version, use that (i.e. adventurecat.com for Adventure Cat Sailing Charters). If your biz name is the same or similar as other businesses in other locations, add your city name.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Pro tip: Be sure to do your due diligence by checking your state’s registry of businesses to make sure your business name isn’t the same as a competitor’s in your geographic area. The availability of the domain does not necessarily mean the business name is available.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✔️ Other extensions to consider if .com is taken:
.biz- also short and sweet
.io- this is becoming popular for those in the tech industries
Any extension related to your field i.e. .law for a law firm
Just be sure the ending you want is not on any spam lists- there are lots of dodgy extensions
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✔️ You can add hyphens and plus signs (sadly, no ampersands)- this is a helpful workaround if your ideal name is taken
Looking for a reliable place to register domain names? There are thousands to choose from, but my favorites are Google Domains (for ease of use and syncing with other Google products) and Pair Domains (for supporting a USA small business and for excellent customer service).
Need help with a domain transfer or initial registration? I offer one-on-one consultations for walking you through this process and troubleshooting potential issues, contact me to book a call.
